This is what's meant by a growth industry

The closest most of us get to the Canadian seed industry is, this time of year, poring over a catalogue, dreaming of spring. But for the seed trade itself, it's more than mooning over the latest vegetable variations.

Every year, in its January issue, Germination magazine, published in Winnipeg by Issues Ink (a communications company that also does everything from graphic design to speech writing and event management), honours its constituents in Canada's seed industry by giving out GENEius awards. These are for "forward thinking movers and shakers in the seed industry". This year, it chose 6 individuals, ranging from suppliers to seed researchers. It's an interesting example of how highly focussed trade publishers stay relevant and connected with their small, but choice audiences.

Issues Ink doesn't have a high profile in the Canadian magazine industry, but it has half a dozen products that serve highly specialized readerships.

• Germination (circ. 5,700) is a 6-times a year publication that serves seed growers, plant breeders, seed analysts, brokers, distributors and suppliers. (Shown is it's November 2006 issue)
  
• Seed.ab.ca (circ 70,000) is a twice-a-year guide to the Alberta seed business.
• Spud Smart (circ. 3,000) serves growers, processors and suppliers to the Canadian potato industry.
• Seed World (circ. 5,300) serving the American seed industry
• Seed Week, a weekly web synopsis of Seed World news, mergers and acquisitions and so on.
• G-mail, a weekly news bulletin e-mail from the editors of Germination.
• R-mail, a weekly e-letter for agri-retailers.
• Reach and Discover, a magazine about research and innovation in the agriculture in Alberta.